


Their Happy Ending

by prissygirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Rumbelle - Freeform, Series 4b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 14:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3899878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prissygirl/pseuds/prissygirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle overhears Rumple and the Author's conversation at Granny's. When Rumple's heart problems begin, Belle has to decide where her happy ending lies. An AU take on the ending of the 4x21 episode “Mother.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Their Happy Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the following prompt: Belle is in the diner at a different table when Rumple is there in 4x21 (and just listens on silently unnoticed until the heart issues start).

Granny’s was mercifully quiet that morning as Belle walked in. Less than a dozen people filled the diner and the usual sounds of silverware clinking against plates and people’s early morning conversations was comforting.

Belle had a headache and she knew her face was red from crying. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. Between Rumple returning her heart and her subsequent breakup with Will, she felt completely overwhelmed.

She had hoped things would look brighter in the morning, but so far she felt just as lost as she had the night before. Belle didn’t want to be alone, but she didn’t want to face anyone either. The idea of running into yet another person who would ask her what Rumple was up to was terrifying. So she had rummaged through her closet before finding an old hooded sweatshirt that Ruby had given her long ago. Her small frame practically swam in the loose material, but it served its purpose.

Shaking aside her thoughts for the moment, Belle walked up to the counter and bought her daily cup of coffee from Granny. If the older woman noticed that she only ordered one, instead of the customary two, she thankfully didn’t say anything. Granny did, however, raise an eyebrow at Belle’s choice of outfit before handing her the coffee without comment.

Belle found an empty table in the corner between the bar and the door and sat down. She had brought a book with her on Baroque architecture and planned to spend a couple hours avoiding the rest of her life.

She supposed she should have known it would be impossible.

Not ten minutes later the door to the diner opened and she heard the unmistakable brogue of her husband fill the air. She hunched down in her chair, grateful her hood was still up. She didn’t think he saw her; he was too busy talking to another man that was with him. She could only guess that it was the Author, since she had no intention of turning around to find out.

The two men settled into a booth on the other side of the diner, giving one of the waitresses their breakfast order. Belle didn’t have to turn around to know that Granny was probably giving them the evil eye from her post behind the counter. Belle knew she should leave – the last thing she wanted to do was talk to Rumple again when she was feeling so conflicted – but she remained glued to her chair.

She strained her ears to hear their conversation. For the first few minutes nothing too interesting happened, apart from Granny coming over to their table to inform them that the diner had somehow just ran out of eggs, bacon, and toast simultaneously and would be unable to complete their order.

Belle glanced over at the table on her right where a waitress had just sat down a huge plate of all three items in front of someone. She rolled her eyes at Granny’s subtlety.

Apparently Rumple wasn’t fooled either. He had some choice words for Granny, which the older woman seemed to brush off easily. Belle heard her set two plates down rather loudly on their table and tell them that they could eat what they was given or they could get the hell out of her diner.

Belle wondered what Granny had given them until she heard Rumple’s answer to the Author.

“It’s a bagel.”

She bit back a laugh. Granny’s bagels were infamous for being stale. Everyone knew the story of how Granny had once tried to feed one to Ruby while she was in her wolf form, only to have Ruby turn up her snout at the bagel and walk off.

Belle’s humor didn’t last too long however, as the door opened and she heard Hook approach the other two men. He didn’t stay more than a minute or two, but Belle felt herself bristle at his words. She and Killian had come a long way from their former hatred of each other, but moments like this reminded her that he clearly hadn’t changed as much as everyone thought. She was glad that Rumple’s plan to turn Emma dark had failed, but the malice in Hook’s voice left her silently shaking with fury.  

Hook left and she was so swept up in her own thoughts that she missed what was said next. She tried to tune out the other noises in the room and focus on their voices, but it was growing harder.

When she first heard Rumple gasp, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Only after the Author asked him if he was alright did Belle feel the cold certainty of dread creep into her own heart. When she heard them get up to leave, she made her decision. Belle grabbed her book and stuffed it into her bag. She stood up, turning around just in time to see Rumple magic the two of them away.

A sob escaped her and before she could second guess herself, Belle ran out of the diner. She only dimly heard the diner door slam closed and open again and Granny’s yell to “Be more careful next time” as she raced down the street towards the pawnshop.

There was no guarantee that they had gone there, but it seemed a logical choice and Belle hoped her hunch was correct. Based on the noises Rumple had been making at the diner, she didn’t know if she’d be able to make it anywhere else in time. Belle slid to a stop in front of the pawnshop, panting slightly from her run.

She looked through the window and saw the faint outline of people in the shop. She smiled, relief welling up inside of her. Her hand was reaching for the doorknob when she heard the telltale sound of designer high heels walk up behind her.

She’d know that overly entitled walk anywhere.

“Go away, Regina.”

She spun around, keeping her body between Regina and the door. She saw the surprise in Regina’s eyes, but the other woman didn’t back down.

“Step aside, Belle. I have business to attend to,” Regina said coolly.

Belle advanced on her, jabbing her in the chest with her finger. “My husband is none of your business. You may have tried to manipulate me and steal my heart, but I’m not your little puppet. Unless you want everyone to know how you used me – _again –_ you better turn around and try dealing with the closet full of problems you already have.”

Regina’s eyes had grown increasingly wider throughout Belle’s speech. Her gaze flicked hesitantly towards the shop before Belle growled lowly, “Don’t even think about it.”

The threat was enough and Regina stepped back, a twitch in her jaw the only indication that Belle had unnerved her.

“Fine,” she said, her voice dripping with venom. “But this isn’t over. If you’ve decided to side with that worthless husband of yours, then be my guest.”

Regina all but stomped off and as soon as she rounded the corner, Belle slumped back against the building, willing her heart to stop racing so fast. She took a deep breath and walked into the shop, the bells jingling overhead.

The Author looked up from the book he had been reading. “What are you doing here?” he asked stupidly.

A reply was on her lips when she saw Rumple stumble through the curtain from the backroom. He looked at her like a frightened animal and she could see the pain etched onto his face.

“Rumple?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Belle, what are you doing here?” he asked, echoing the question of the Author. His voice was gentle but she could tell that even speaking was an effort for him. He was hunched over, putting his weight on the countertop as he made his way into the room.

“I had to see you,” she answered truthfully. “I needed to know that you were alright.” Their eyes locked and she knew that they were on the edge of some decision – something that they wouldn’t have another chance at.

He was gripping the ledge of the nearest cabinet, looking as if he was seconds away from collapsing.

“I think it’s best if you leave. I may not be able to stop what’s happening and I – ”

Rumple paused for a moment, closing his eyes as his face contorted in pain.  He took a deep breath before continuing. “I may not be able to protect you.” After a moment, he opened his eyes again, pleading with her. “Please go, Belle.”

If anything, his words only succeeded in convincing her to stay. She saw him begin to falter and she moved towards him, just barely reaching him in time to catch him before he fell. She gently lowered him to the ground, not trusting that she would be able to get him to the cot in the backroom safely.

 She held him close, smoothing back his hair from his forehand with a free hand. “What options do we have?” she asked softly.

He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a quill. “I’m giving the villains their happy ending,” he gasped out.

She squeezed his hand. “Rumple, you can’t rewrite history. It’s wrong.”

“It’s the only way to fix this.” He gestured to his chest, his hand hovering over his heart. “Otherwise the Dark One will be free and the Rumpelstiltskin you know will be all but a memory.”

A sob caught in her throat. The man she loved was dying in her arms. If the pain in her own heart was any indication, she wondered if it was possible for her to just die along with him.

She turned towards the Author. “Isn’t there anything else we can do?”

He shook his head. “We can’t do anything without the ink.”

As if on cue, there was a jingle above the door. They glanced toward it to see Regina stroll into the shop.

“I told you this wasn’t over,” she said, glancing down at Belle and then Rumple. Belle tightened her hold around him.

Regina smirked. “I see you’re finally getting what you deserve,” she said to Rumple. “Your heart is finally giving up on you, just like everything else in your life has.”

Belle glared at her. “I thought I made it perfectly clear – “

The other woman waved her off. “Yes, your attempt at blackmail was most impressive.” She gave her a grin worthy of a toothpaste advertisement. “However, I realized something as I was walking down the street – once I get my happy ending, none of this is really going to matter.”

Regina’s eyes fell on the quill in Rumple’s grip and waved her hand. In a swirl of purple smoke, the quill disappeared from his hand, reappearing a moment later in hers.

Rumple jerked in Belle’s arms, but it seemed magic was too much for him right now. “You’re being incredibly shortsighted, Regina,” he said weakly. “If you leave now, you’re going to have a very angry Dark One to deal with.”

Regina glanced at him skeptically. “From the look of things, you’re hardly a threat right now.”

He shook his head at her in disgust. “You don’t get it, do you? If I die, the Dark One takes over my body. And trust me, the things I’ve done will look like child’s play compared to what he’ll do to this town.”

Belle saw a flicker of fear in Regina’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared and was replaced with a vicious gleam. “Not if I write you out of the story first.”

Without another word, the smoke swirled around Regina and the Author, and Belle found herself alone in the shop with her husband.

She wasn’t sure how long they sat there, Rumple dozing in and out of consciousness. Belle had asked him what she could do during one of his more lucid moments, but he had just assured her that there was nothing to do now. Not knowing what else she could do for him, she had continued to hold him close, whispering words of comfort and love into his ear, trying her best to soothe him.

Time dragged on as they sat there and several times Belle had feared he had left her forever, only to realize that he was still breathing. Relief would flood back into her and silent tears of gratitude would slip down her cheeks.

She kept trying to think if there was someone she could call, but anyone who knew what was going on would never choose Rumple’s welfare over Regina’s. Belle could only hope that something would come through for them.

Rumple had died once before in front of her, and she didn’t think she could survive watching him do it again.

She must have dozed off because the Author’s sudden appearance made her jump. Rumple groaned in her arms at the action and she kissed his forehead in apology.

“Where’s Regina?” Belle asked.

The Author shrugged. “She decided she already had her happy ending.” He rolled his eyes. “A bit of an odd choice if you ask me.”

Belle gasped as she saw him lift up the quill and the bottle of ink.

“You can save him then?” she asked, hope tentatively bubbling up within her chest.

“I can write whatever you want,” he said, grabbing some paper nearby. “Just make it a good story.”

Belle glanced down at Rumple, who was just barely conscious.

“Sweetheart, it’s the only way,” he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

She shook his head. “We can’t do it your way, Rumple. I won’t let you hurt anyone else.”

The look he gave her was resigned and Belle knew he wouldn’t fight her on this.

“Perhaps it’s better this way. I never really deserved you anyway.” Rumple lifted a trembling hand to her face. “At least I got to see you one last time.”

Belle shook her head, tears streaking down her face. “You silly man. I never said I was letting you go.”

Rumple gazed at her in confusion and Belle tore her eyes from his to look at the Author.

“I don’t want you to rewrite the original story.” She looked back at Rumple tenderly. “Just write us out of it.”

“Write you out?” the Author asked uncertainly.

A hesitant smile began to play at the corner of Rumple’s lips. He looked at her in wonder as he realized what she was doing.  

 “Yes,” Belle said. “Out of the old story and into a new one.” She smiled at Rumple. “A fresh start for us both. Together.”

 “And Bae?” Rumple asked.

Her heart caught in her throat. “And Bae.”

The smile Rumple gave her was dazzling and Belle found her tears turning to those of joy.

“It’s time for our happy ending, Rumple.”


End file.
